*Starters Returning/Lost: 20/9

* - includes all players who started a minimum of 5 games in 1999.

HEAD COACH LARRY SMITH

This past November and December, the 23-year veteran coach put his entire program under a microscope and piece-by-piece, he disected it from top-to-bottom. Changes were made in all facets, and Smith's Tigers are anxious to put those changes to the test.

Smith has brought in three new coaches to implement an offensive style that combines Mizzou's traditional smash-mouth attack with a new wide-open assault. It is an offense that will be devised to keep defenses off-balance, for the Tigers plan on using a 50/50 offense (50 percent running, 50 percent passing).

The bottom line is Smith is out to prove that one down year does not mean his Tigers' cannot be right where they were the two previous seasons. Smith has brought the Missouri program too far in his six years for it to crumble after one down year.

The rebuilding job at MU has been an emotional roller coaster for Smith, who in six years has taken a once-proud program from the doldrums back to a place among the nation's elite. The Tigers have played in two bowl games, the 1997 Holiday Bowl and the 1998 Insight.com Bowl, in the last the three seasons. It was the first time that Missouri had played in back-to-back bowl games since 1980-81.

The formula has been similar to what he used at his previous stops on the head-coaching trail at Tulane, Arizona and Southern California ... aggressive defense plus an offense that establishes itself on the ground, and a strong emphasis on the kicking game. Add equal parts of discipline, team unity and spirit and you have Smith's game plan.

Although 1997 was the season in which the Tigers posted their first winning record since 1983, and came within the flukiest play of the 1997 college football season of beating a No. 1 team for the first time in school history, the seeds for this breakthrough began to sprout a year ago.

In 1996, the Tigers won three of their last five games to finish with a 5-6 record and in the process the Tigers showed the fortitude to win the close games. The Tigers went 3-1 in games decided by eight points or less, the first time since 1978 that MU had posted a winning record in "close" games. Two of those wins came in overtime.

The running game took hold and ranked ninth nationally, averaging more than 250 yards per contest. For the first time in school history, four backs ran for 500-or-more yards.

Finally, in 1997, it was his team. Only five players remained from the previous regime, meaning that Smith had a team that had grown up in his system.

The Tigers improved on their rushing success, ranking 6th in Division I-A, and again had four backs each gain 500 yards. Junior quarterback Corby Jones emerged as one of the nation's finest players and added a passing threat to the offense that helped MU set a school scoring record.

The defense, though probably a year behind the offense in development, made more big plays, contributing to a huge improvement in turnover margin.

Smith was named the Big 12 Conference "Coach of the Year" by the Associated Press and the Dallas Morning News. He was the first Missouri coach to receive that honor since Warren Powers got the AP's nod as Big Eight Conference "Coach of the Year" in 1983. He was honored nationally as well. Smith was tabbed as the "National Coach of the Year" by the Downtown Athletic Club of Glenwood, Iowa, joining Nebraska's Tom Osborne, Arizona State's Bruce Snyder, and Northwestern's Gary Barnett as recipients of the award. He was similarly honored by another organization in Russell, Kan.

There are other factors, of course. Smith has built a solid relationship with high school coaches throughout Missouri, an effort that is paying off in recruiting, and will continue to reap dividends with time.

His spring coaching clinic, which is held in conjunction with the Missouri State High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame dinner, draws record numbers to Columbia. His summer camps, likewise, have attracted more high school football players to MU than ever before.

Support from MU's administration in admissions issues and facility improvement projects are also giving Smith the tools to return the Tiger football program to its historical position of national prominence.

The challenges, though, are stiffer now that MU is a member of the Big 12 Conference. But Smith relishes that challenge, and has attacked it with the same resolve and detailed plan of action that has characterized his tenure at MU since being hired Dec. 15, 1993.

The progress he's shown and diligence with which he's approached the task gained him a contract extension just prior to the start of the 1996 season. Athletic Director Joe Castiglione and Chancellor Richard Wallace extended his original five-year contract through the year 2001.

"Larry Smith is moving the Tigers football program in the right direction and this extension will ensure the program's future stability and progress," Castiglione said. "Together with our commitment to new sports facilities and the exposure our program is receiving as a member of the Big 12 Conference, Coach Smith will have the tools and support he needs to recruit, teach and develop the best student-athletes ... something I believe is absolutely paramount."

Wallace echoed those sentiments, "We have the right coach in Larry Smith. I have full confidence that under his leadership the team will excel in the Big 12 Conference and return to a position of national prominence."

Smith, of course, appreciated the move. "It gives our program a vote of confidence and helps us continue to build a solid foundation for the future. The commitment the University has shown to me and my coaching staff strengthens our resolve to restore the proud tradition of Missouri football."

The University of Missouri's 30th head football coach, he's a man with a proven record as a winner as a head football coach on the NCAA Division I-A level at three other schools.

During a 23-year head coaching career, Smith has compiled a 140-118-7 career record at Tulane (18-27), Arizona (48-28-3), Southern California (44-25-3) and now Missouri (30-38-1). Eight of the last 13 teams he's coached have played in post-season bowl games, and his teams have posted 12 victories over teams ranked in the nation's top-10.

He's one of only seven active coaches that have taken three teams to bowl games, and has joined Earl Bruce, Lou Holtz and Bill Mallory as the only men to take four different teams to bowl games.

He's in his fourth year as a member of the NCAA Football Rules Committee, and was the chairman of the Big 12 Conference football coaches in 1996.

When Smith was hired at Missouri, he had more Division I-A head coaching experience than any man ever hired by a Big Eight Conference school.

Smith, 60, was out of coaching for a year, after completing a six-year term at USC, where he won three Pacific-10 Conference championships and was twice the league's "Coach of the Year." He had a six-year conference record of 33-12-2, including a school-record string of 19 consecutive victories at one stretch. He was only the second coach in USC history to take his first four teams to bowl games.

During his tenure at Arizona, Smith posted six consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1923, had five straight wins over arch-rival Arizona State for the first time since 1948 and had four consecutive seasons with seven or more victories for the first time in school history.

At Tulane, his program made steady improvement in the win-loss column each year, culminating in a 9-3 Liberty Bowl season in 1979.

Smith stressed upon his arrival in Columbia that MU would play a physical brand of football. "I was born and raised on single-wing football. That is not fancy stuff," he said. " You just line up and knock the tar out of the guy over you. That's my philosophy, and that's the way this team will be coached. I expect to have a football team that will be physical. We're going to go into every game to do one thing first, and that's to out-hit the other guy."

A native of Van Wert, Ohio, Smith attended the U.S. Military Academy in 1957-58, then transferred to Bowling Green State University, where he graduated in 1962, with a bachelor of science degree in mathematics. He was a three-year letterman there, and won all-Mid America Conference honors on two teams that won MAC championships.

He began his coaching career at Lima Shawnee High School in Lima, Ohio, winning league championships in 1964 and 1966. He moved to the collegiate ranks in 1967, on Bo Schembechler's staff at Miami (Ohio), coaching outside linebackers. He went to Michigan with Schembechler in 1969, and coached the offensive line for the Wolverines from 1969-72.

In 1973, he joined Head Coach Jim Young at Arizona, and served as linebacker coach, defensive coordinator and assistant head coach from 1973-75, before getting his first head coaching opportunity at Tulane.

Smith and his wife Cheryl are the parents of two children - daughter Alicia (29) and son Corby (27). Corby, a former quarterback at USC and Iowa, spent two years as a graduate assistant on his father's coaching staff at Mizzou, working one year with the defense and one with the offense. Now Corby is in his third year as a fulltime member of the staff, coaching the Tiger tight ends and special teams.

Smith is also the proud grandfather of two. His grandson, Preston, will be a year old this month while his daughter Alicia gave birth to her first child, Lauren Nicole Gaston, this past November.

Smith and his wife, Cheryl, are active in charitable pursuits in the Columbia area. Smith has made the Central Missouri Food Bank the beneficiary of a food drive each spring in conjunction with Mizzou's Black-and-Gold Game, and that program has carried over to a statewide program - "Larry Smith's Tigers Score Against Hunger." Football fans are called on to pledge a specific dollar amount ranging from a nickel to $10 or more for every point scored by the Tigers during the season. All proceeds benefit food banks located in Kansas City, St. Joseph, Springfield, Columbia, St. Louis and Sikeston.

Smith is also the chairman of a campaign to raise money for the University of Missouri's four-campus library system. He's pledged to help raise $3 million over a three-year period for UM libraries.

"Having a great library is the foundation of a great university - just like having a great quarterback is the foundation of a football team," he says. "One of the goals of our football program is to see each one of the athletes earn a degree. This is a way I can lend support to a great cause."

Cheryl, too, has become a community leader. She works as the executive director of the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN), which provides emotional care to HIV/AIDS patients and seeks through education to prevent the spread of the disease.

BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Alma Mater:

Playing Experience:

Coaching Experience:

Collegiate Head Coaching Record:

Year-by-Year:

* - indicates bowl seasons.

Birthdate: September 12, 1939
Marital Status: Married, wife Cheryl
Children: Alicia (29), Corby (27)
Grandchildren: Preston (1), Lauren (4 months)

PRE-SPRING OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART

PRE-SPRING DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART

ALL CAPS indicates returning 1999 starters.
Minimum 5 games started.

PRE-SPRING SPECIALISTS DEPTH CHART

1999 STARTERS LOST

JUSTIN SMITH
Junior - Defensive End - 6-5, 265 - 2L
Jefferson City, Mo.

Very few players have walked into the University of Missouri football program and made the impact that Justin Smith has in his first two seasons. Smith has recorded 178 tackles including 11 1/2 sacks and is a legitimate All-American candidate as well as a candidate for the Bronco Nagurski Award which is presented tothe nation's most outstanding defensive player. Because of his unique combination of size, speed, strength and innate ability, Smith will be used in a variety of roles on the Tiger defense in 2000. Larry Smith has likened Smith to one his earlier protges - USC linebacker Junior Seau - and plans to utilize him in similar fashion. Smith's primary position will be on the the edge at defensive end. He has speed (4.5), agility (30.5-inch vertical leap) and strength (a school-record 460-lb. power clean).

1999 Season Highlights
One of 19 players on the Bronco Nagurski Award "watch" list and one of only two sophomores ... named first team All-Big 12 by both the coaches and the Associated Press ... also voted to the first team by the Kansas City Star, Dallas Morning News and San Antonio Express-News ... tied single-season record for quarterback sacks (8) joining former Tiger greats Bobby Bell, All-American Jeff Gaylord, and current NFL linemen Rick Lyle and Steve Martin with eight quarterback sacks ... recorded 92 tackles, good for third on the team with 16 of those tackles for loss ... tallied four double-digit tackle games, including a career-high 14 against Iowa State and 12 vs. Nebraska ... forced two fumbles, including one against Memphis that changed the momentum of the game to help clinch a victory ... blocked a punt in the season opener against UAB that was picked up by teammate John McPherson for the Tigers' first touchdown of the season ... off the field, was a force in the classroom ... tabbed second team GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America, District VII, as well as first-team Academic All-Big 12.

1998 Highlights
The first Tiger true freshman to start every game since CB Adrian Jones in 1986 and both were tabbed as conference defensive freshman of the year - Jones bythe Big Eight and Smith by the Big 12 ... also received Freshman All-America plaudits from Football News and Sporting News ... defensive newcomer of the year by the Associated Press, Kansas City Star and Dallas Morning News .. led the league's rookies with 86 tackles, which was second on the Missouri team ... led the Tigers with 13 tackles for loss and tied for the team lead with 3-1/2 sacks ... was Mizzou defensive "player of the game" against Oklahoma and Colorado ... made 58 tackles in Mizzou's last six games and had 11 three times - vs. Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Texas A&M.

SMITH's CAREER STATISTICS

TACKLING

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT ...
JUSTIN SMITH

Joe Posnanski, Kansas City Star:
"Justin Smith is simply one of the most fascinating players in America to watch. Every single play, practically, he does something absolutely fabulous. He's so quick, so strong, so gifted, and he plays the game so hard. He never stops moving. It's no wonder. Man, what it must be like for him to go out there and just overpower 300-pound linemen, hunt down running backs from behind, leap tall blockers in a single bound. It's his world out there. It's his kingdom."

Moe Ankney, Missouri Defensive Coordinator:
"I've never seen anything like it. I've had very talented freshmen, but even the best ones took some time to climb the depth chart. Justin came in during our first pass-rush drill, and nobody could block him. After that I knew we had a gifted player."

Colorado Coach Gary Barnett:
"I threw him up (on film) for our whole team to watch him. He just plays the game the way you like to see somebody play it. He's just a great player with a great motor. You watch him and you go, 'Wow, that's the way you're supposed to play the game."

Missouri Coach Larry Smith: (On using Justin Smith)
"We're going to move him around to make plays in different situations, and he will not come off of the field unless he's hurt."

JULIAN JONES
Senior - Free Safety - 5-11, 188 - 2L
Midwest City, Okla.

Perhaps the best athlete on the Missouri football team, Julian Jones has become the newest star in the secondary and enters the 2000 campaign as one of the premier defensive backs in the Big 12 Conference. Jones has played every position in the Tigers' secondary and became Mizzou's starting free safety in 1999 ... has great speed (4.5), the best vertical jump on the team, 37.5 inches, and has a standing broad jump of 11-feet, 3 inches ... at one of the team's Olympic competitions, high jumped 6-foot-10 diving head-first over the bar.

1999 Season Highlights
Third team All-Big 12 selection by the coaches and a member of the Missouri Champions Club ... led the Big 12 Conference with six interceptions ... a total of five inteceptions in four consecutive games ... intercepted two passes in the game at Memphis ... ranked fourth on the Mizzou tackles chart with 91 ... recorded four double-digit tackle games ... made 14 tackles at Oklahoma and followed that performance the following week with 13 against Texas A&M ... also broke up three passes, forced a fumble and blocked a punt ... off the field, earned second team Academic All-Big 12.

1998 Highlights
Was the MVP of the Insight.com Bowl ... was called on at the last minute to start for the first time in his career at cornerback ... in the 34-41 victory over West Virginia, made 10 tackles, broke up two passes, intercepted one, blocked a punt for a safety and returned the free kick that followed 39 yards to set up a touchdown ... was Mizzou's special teams MVP and won the special teams "player of the game" award three times ... blocked a punt in the season opener vs. Bowling Green and deflected another later in the season ... became a kickoff returner at Iowa State and returned his firt one 45 yards ... averaged 20 yards per return for the season.

1997 Highlights
Played in every game and made tackles in nine of them ... played his best games against the toughest opponents, recording 13 tackles against Nebraska and 10 vs. Kansas State ... finished the season with 31 tackles, 22 of them unassisted ... also recovered one fumble.

1996 Highlights
Redshirt year ... scout team "player of the week" vs. Clemson.

JONES' CAREER STATISTICS

TACKLING

DWAYNE BLAKLEY
Junior - Tight End - 6-4, 268 - 2L
St. Joseph, Mo. (Central)

Dwayne Blakley enters the 2000 season as one of Missouri's primary offensive weapons. Blakley made his mark early last season as one of the top tight ends in the Big 12 Conference. At 6-4, 268, is a big target with good speed and excellent hands.

1999 Season Highlights
An offensive star who tied for the team-lead in touchdowns (6) ... ranked fourth on the Tigers' receiving chart with 22 catches for 235 yards ... averaged 10.7 yards per catch and averaged 21.4 yards receiving a game ... scored MU's first offensive touchdown of the season on a four-yard pass from Kirk Farmer against UAB ... put together a career-game against Western Michigan, tying the MU record with three touchdown receptions ... also caught five passes in the game for 40 yards ... pulled in three catches against both Memphis and Colorado ... one of the catches against Memphis was a 21 yard touchdown pass from Kirk Farmer to open up a 10-point lead ... voted second team All-Big 12 by The Dallas Morning News ... honorable mention All-Big 12 pick by the coaches.

1998 Highlights
Played in all 11 games, starting against Northwestern State and Texas Tech ... caught five passes for 60 yards and one touchdown - a nine-yard strike on fourth down that tied the game, 14-14, at Texas A&M ... his catch, 17, yards, came against Kansas State ... also played on the kickoff return team.

1997 Highlights
Redshirt year ... was scout team player-of-the-week for his impersonation of Alonzo Mayes the week of the Oklahoma State contest.

BLAKLEY's CAREER STATISTICS

RECEIVING

JAMONTE ROBINSON
Junior - Inside Linebacker - 6-2, 202 - 2L
St. Petersburg, Fla.

Jamonte Robinson defines the term "nose for the football." In two-seasons, this cat-quick linebacker has tallied 191 tackles ... Robinson has tremendous speed (4.4) and the innate ability to close quickly on a ball carrier ... was a high school wrestling champion and uses that one-on-one competition spirit to excel in Missouri's run-and-hit defensive philosophy ... very well could be one of the best linebackers in the Big 12 heading into the 2000 campaign.

1999 Season Highlights
Started all 10 games that he played in and finished second on the team in tackles with 108 ... garnered honorable mention All-Big 12 honors by the coaches ... recorded seven double-digit tackle games ... double-figures in tackles first five games of season (11 vs. UAB, 12 vs. Western Michigan, 10 vs. Nebraska, 12 vs. Memphis, career-high 15 vs. Colorado) ... tied for the team-lead in passes broken up with five ... had two quarterback sacks as well as a fumble recovery on the year ... a member of the Missouri Champions Club five times during the season ... was tabbed first team Academic All-Big 12.

1998 Highlights
The surprise player of the year for Missouri ... quickly made his presence felt during two-a-days in August, then went out and made those early impressions stand up when the season began in September ... made Mizzou's Champions Club and was honorable mention Freshman All-American by Football News ... played in all 11 games and ranked third on the team with 83 tackles ... was the No. 2 freshman tackler in the Big 12 conference bhind teammate Justin Smith ... made a season-high 13 tackles against Nebraska, and during the closing meat of the Missouri schedule made 44 tackles over a four-game stretch.

ROBINSON's CAREER STATISTICS

TACKLING

MIKE HAYES
Junior - Off. Guard/Center - 6-3, 296 - 1L
Kansas City, Mo. (Oak Park)

A year ago, Mike Hayes had a terrific spring and earned the starting job at right guard and never relinquished it. Hayes enters 2000 with a year of experience under his belt. He will go into the spring as the starting right guard, but is a top challenger for the starting center position vacated by consensus All-American Rob Riti. The junior provides great leadership skills and should also fill that void left by Riti.

1999 Season Highlights
Did an admirable job at right guard for never having played a game in his career ... started all 11 games for the Tigers ... helped lead a ground-attack that compiled 620 yards in the their first two games (vs. UAB and Western Michigan) and was named to Missouri's Champions Club in both contests ... earned Champion's Club recognition six times during the season.

1998 Highlights
Played on the scout team and was honored as the offensive scout team player of the week vs. Kansas.

1997 Highlights
Played on the defensive line during his redshirt year ... was honored twice as the defensive scout player of the week - vs. Kansas and vs. Baylor.

JUSTIN BLAND
Junior - Off. Tackle - 6-6, 321 - 2L
Chillicothe, Mo.

The biggest member of an offensive line that averages over 300 lbs., Justin Bland will once again patrol the offensive tackle position. Bland became a full-time starter last season and like many of his teammates along the front line, he should blossom in 2000 with a full-year under his belt. Possesses very good speed, agility and strength - qualities that bode well for him as a member of an offensive line that puts a premium on athleticism.

1999 Season Highlights
Started all 11 games for the Tigers at right tackle ... was named to the Missouri Champions Club three times during the season ... part of an offensive line that led to 375 yards on the ground against Western Michigan ... helped spring MU running back Zain Gilmore free for 165 yards and a Missouri team total 206 yards in a win over Texas Tech.

1998 Highlights
After arriving for pre-season drills in August, made his move to play as a true freshman ... played at right tackle in seven games behind senior Todd Neimeyer, with most of his snaps coming on PAT and FG attempts.

PAT MINGUCCI
Senior - Def. Guard - 6-2, 271 - 3L
Jefferson City, Mo.

One of toughest competitors on the Missouri team, Pat Mingucci will look to make his final season a memorable one. Mingucci enters the 2000 season as one of the leaders of what should be a strong, experienced defense. He is one of the strongest players ever at Mizzou, he had a 1,830-lb. series during winter conditioning last year which ranks second all-time at MU ... squat-lifted 950 lb. (also No.2 all-time), benched 440 and cleaned 440.

1999 Season Highlights
Put together a solid season despite missing two games with a knee injury ... started five of the nine games he played in and was named to the Champions Club four times ... had a season-high four tackles at Colorado ... recorded three tackles against UAB and Nebraska.

1998 Highlights
Started three games (Ohio State, Northwestern State, Iowa State) at nose tackle ... among his 25 tackles were eight for 29 yards in losses, including three quarterback sacks ... named to Mizzou's Champions Club six times.

1997 Highlights
Played in seven games after sitting out the '96 season as an NCAA particial qualifier ... recorded one tackle - for a five-yard loss vs. Eastern Michigan.

MINGUCCI's CAREER STATISTICS

TACKLING

JOHN DAUSMAN
Senior - Wide Receiver - 6-1, 182 - 1L
Knob Knoster, Mo.

John Dausman returns from a knee injury that sidelined him the entire 1999 campaign to lead an exciting corpe of wide receivers. Dausman's size, speed and work ethic made him one of the Tigers' go-to receivers during the ladder half of the 1998 season. He is one of the fastest Missouri players (4.39 speed) and one of the strongest receivers (410-lb. bench press, 700-lb. squat). Dausman returns in 2000 at 100 percent and should flourish in Mizzou's new offensive system.

1999 Season Highlights
Sat out the season after tearing an ACL in Missouri's first practice at Camp Wentworth. Through hard work, made a quick recovery and was on the practice field the last few weeks of the season.

1998 Highlights
Started five games and was MU's number-two receiver with 18 receptions for a team-leading 20.2 yards-per-catch average ... scored three touchdowns ... made a number of highlight-film caliber receptions against Kansas State when he caught six passes for 169 yards - the ninth best receiving day in school history and the best performance by a wideout in Larry Smith's six-year tenure at Ol' Mizzou ... was the Tigers' offensive "player of the week" vs. Kansas State ... his first touchdown was an 11-yarder against Kansas that came on his first collegiate reception ... singed Iowa State with a 64-yard catch-and-run touchdown that was MU's longest offensive play of the season and the longest pass completion of QB Corby Jones' career ... caught three passes for 44 yards and rushed once for nine yards in the Insight.com Bowl victory over West Virginia ... was also a valuable member of the Mizzou special teams who made 10 tackles and shared the special teams "player of the week" award vs. Bowling Green ... named to MU's Champions Club ... off the field, was tabbed first team Academic All-Big 12.

DAUSMAN's CAREER STATISTICS

RECEIVING

CLARENCE JONES
Junior - Strong Safety - 6-1, 199 - 2L
St. Louis, Mo. (Parkway Central)

Clarence Jones has molded himself into the perfect strong safety for the Missouri defensive scheme. He is strong and extremelly physical, which fits well in the Tigers' run-and-hit defensive philosophy. Like many of his teammates, Jones now has a full-year of regular playing-time under his belt and through hard work, could emerge into one of the top strong safety's in the league.

1999 Season Highlights
Started all 11 games for the Tigers, teaming with up with free safety Julian Jones for a combined 161 tackles ... Clarence racked up 70 tackles himself, good for fifth on the team ... top tackle game came against Iowa State when he tallied a career-best 10 tackles including a quarterback sack ... had three games with eight tackles (vs. Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas A&M) and made seven tackles in his first career start against UAB.

1998 Highlights
Was one of 11 true freshmen who saw action and lettered after playing every game ... a member of all the Tiger special teams and made seven tackles.

JONES' CAREER STATISTICS

TACKLING

TIGER NOTES

Tigers Look to Return to Winning Ways
The University of Missouri will be looking to get back on the winning track in 2000. Seventh-year coach LARRY SMITH is 30-38-1 overall at MU and has turned the program back around.

Under Smith, Mizzou went 6-16-1 during his first two seasons (1994-95). The Tigers have turned it around since, and are 24-22 overall the last four seasons with two trips to bowl games.

Missouri finished the 1997 season ranked 23rd in both the Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches polls. Mizzou was ranked throughout the 1998 season, and finished with of 21st in the AP Poll and 25th in the USA Today/Coaches Poll.

MIZZOU UNDER LARRY SMITH

Missouri Head Coach Larry Smith
LARRY SMITH enters his seventh season as the head coach of the Missouri Tigers. The 23-year veteran has compiled a 30-38-1 record at Mizzou, including a 24-22 (.521) mark in the last four seasons.

Smith became Missouri's 30th head football coach on Dec. 15, 1993. With 17 years as a head coach in NCAA Division I before coming to MU, Smith was the most experienced coach ever hired by a Big Eight Conference school.

He has career record of 140-118-7 over 23 years, and coached previously at Tulane (18-27, 197-79), Arizona (48-28-3, 1980-86), and Southern California (44-25-3, 1987-92). He was out of coaching in 1993.

Smith is one of only two active coaches (the other is Lou Holtz) who has taken four different teams to bowl games, and one of only four who've ever done it (Earle Bruce and Bill Mallory are the others). Smith ranks 12th among active coaches in career victories.

A native of Van Wert, Ohio, Smith is a 1962 graduate of Bowling Green State University. He served as a collegiate assistant coach at Miami (Ohio), Michigan and Arizona.

Missouri Has a New Offensive Coaching Staff
The Missouri Tigers enter the spring with a new offensive coaching staff which plans on instituting a new philosophy.

Wide receivers coach ANDY HILL will join new quarterbacks coach BILL CUBIT as the new co-offensive coordinators. Hill enters his fifth season at Mizzou while Cubit joins Larry Smith's staff from Western Michigan where he served in the same position for three seasons.

Together Cubit and Hill will look to make the Missouri offense much more unpredictable. The Tigers will plan on blending the old Missouri smash-mouth philosophy with a new wide-open passing attack.

Joining Cubit and Hill is new offensive line coach SAM PITTMAN, who also comes to Mizzou via Western Michigan. Pittman has had several years of experience has he has worked his way up the Division I level. He made stops at Northern Illinois, Cincinnati and Oklahoma before landing at Western Michigan last season.

The new running backs coach is CHRIS TABOR who in no stranger to the Missouri system or the players. Tabor has served the last two seasons as a Mizzou graduate assistant, spending most of his time with the offensive line and scout teams.

In another move, third year coach CORBY SMITH will now oversee the special teams unit while retaining his position as tight ends coach.

Very Few Personnel Changes Heading Into the Spring
The Missouri coaching staff made very few changes as far as personnel and positions go this off-season. Four major changes were made in hopes of strengthening those positions.

Defensively, the Tigers have made three changes that they hope could make the defensive line one of the best in the Big 12. Senior PAT MINGUCCI has moved from defensive guard to nose tackle in order to get sophomore CEDRIC HARDEN onto the field. Harden was listed as a guard last year, but filled admirably at nose tackle when Mingucci went down with a knee injury last season.

The other move on defense was moving senior DANNY MCCAMY from the bandit position to defensive tackle. McCamy may be a little undersized for the defensive line, but his strength, quickness and smarts should more than make up for his size.

Offensively, junior MIKE HAYES has taken it upon himself to be the replacement for consensus All-American Rob Riti at center as well as the leader of the offensive line. Hayes' leadership this off-season has been a major plus for the entire Missouri team.

Tigers Move Fall Camp to Mexico
Mexico, Missouri that is. The Missouri Military Academy in nearby Mexico, Mo. will be the new home for Missouri football's preseason camp. Mexico is located 37 miles northeast of Columbia and takes approximately 47 minutes to drive.

Known as "a small town with a big heart," Mexico has a population of 23,589 and is located in Audrain County. The town was founded in 1836 and has deep roots in the firebrick industry, agriculture and world-renowned saddle horses.

Missouri Military Academy is internationally known as an outstanding military academy for young men grades four through 12. The academy was founded in 1889 by a Civil War veteran and was patterned after West Point Military Academy. The student body consists of nearly 300 cadets that represent 24 states, the District of Columbia and seven foreign nations. Designated as an "exemplary private school" by the United States Department of Education, Missouri Military Academy has been ranked as a junior reserve officer training corps "honor unit with distinction" 29 times by the United States Army.

2000 Schedule Presents Big-Time Challenge For Mizzou
The 2000 Missouri football schedule pits the Tigers up against six bowl teams from a year ago. Three of those schools, Michigan State, Colorado and Kansas State, will visit Faurot Field. Missouri must face Clemson, Nebraska and Texas on the road.

The toughest stretch for the Tigers will come in weeks two, three and five. Missouri travels to Clemson on Sept. 9, followed by a home game against Michigan State. A bye week follows before the Tigers must travel to Lincoln, Neb. for a date with the Cornhuskers.

The last time Mizzou faced six bowl teams from the previous year was in 1998. The Tigers went 8-4 that year and defeated West Virginia in the Insight.com Bowl.

Missouri Fans Love Their Tigers
Missouri sold a record 35,000 season tickets in 1999, and its attendance average of 58,374 was the highest since 1981.

The Nebraska game on Sept. 25 was MU's second sellout in a span of four home games dating back to 1998.

The crowd of 60,206 that witnessed the Tigers win over Western Michigan was the biggest for a non-league game in the Larry Smith's era.

Fifteen of the top 21 home crowds Mizzou has had since 1984 have come with Smith at the helm.

A New Press Box to Adorn Memorial Stadium
In time for the 2000 season, Missouri is currently constructing a new press box at Memorial Stadium that will turn the old 14,300-square foot facility (which was built in 1968) into one of 56,800-square feet running goal line to goal line.

The schematic design, developed by Ellerbe Becket, was approved by the University of Missouri Board of Curators in March of 1999. the $10.5 million project will be paid for by suite and premium seat sales.

The four-level facility will include 35 private suites, 441 seats in an expanded Tiger Lounge, and a press facility that will double the space now available for members of the media.

Show-Me Tigers
Missouri spring roster reveals that 53 players are from the state of Missouri. On the spring two-deep roster, 14 offesive players are from the Show-Me State while there are nine on the defensive side.

Last Year's Youth Could Be This Year's Gain
Of the Tigers' top 46 players on the two deep roster last year, 29 were freshmen, redshirt freshmen or sophomores.

That youthful Missouri look reflected throughout the season in the MU starting lineup.

Twenty-two Tigers received their first career starts in 1999, and of that group, only six were juniors or seniors.

The younger (freshmen and sophomores) Tigers were responsible for 206 of Missouri's 224 points last season.

Sophomores ZAIN GILMORE and DWAYNE BLAKLEY scored six touchdowns to lead the Tigers. Sophomore kicker BRAD HAMMERICH kicked nine field goals and 25 PATs. Mizzou other touchdowns came from sophomores JIM DOUGHERTY and ERIC SPENCER, and freshmen KIRK FARMER, JOHN MCPHERSON, JOE CHIRUMBOLO and TRAVIS GARVIN.

Several Tigers Make the Grade
While the Missouri Tigers continue to make strides on the field, several Tigers have done outstanding work off of the field in the classroom.

Following the 1999 season, the Big 12 Conference announced its'Academic All-Big 12 teams. First Team members from Missouri included: STEVE ERICKSON, KIRK FARMER, TIM GEIGER, KENT LAYMAN, JAMONTE ROBINSON and JUSTIN SMITH.

Second Team members included BEN DAVIDSON, JOE GLAUBERMAN, JULIAN JONES, ROB RITI and VINCE SEBO.

Tigers Score Against Hunger
Again this coming year, MU Head Coach LARRY SMITH and the Tigers will team up with the Central Missouri Food Bank to stop hunger in its tracks. Interested persons can pledge money for very point the Tigers score in 2000. The proceeds help the food bank and more than 120 charities in its 29-county region provide free food to soup kitchens, shelters and food pantries.

For more information, call 1-800-764-3663, or 573-474-1020.

Since the program began five years ago, more than $750,000 has been raised and more 11 million meals have been provided to Missourians in need.

MISSOURI INDIVIDUAL HONORS, 1999 RETURNEES

MOE ANKNEY, Assistant coach

dwayne blakley, TE, SOPHOMORE

Ben Davidson, DS, sophomore

kirk Farmer, qb, freshman

joe glauberman, Og, junior

cedric harden, dg, freshman

julian jones, fs, junior

John mcpherson, ss, freshman

jamonte robinson, lb, sophomore

Justin smith, de, sophomore

DEPARTED SENIORS

Steve erickson, dt, senior

tim geiger, k, senior

kent Layman, wr, senior

jeff marriott, nt, senior

barry odom, lb, senior

carlos posey, cb, senior

rob riti, C, senior

jamie scholten, WR, senior

vince sebo, P, senior